This is a record of my journey as a Muslim. I used to be Catholic and belonged to a missionary organisation. After my conversion, I sat on the board of a Muslim converts' organisation and specialised in da'wah programmes, convert management, interfaith issues and apostasy cases. I am an initiate of a Sufi order. As such, the articles and writings tend to cover these areas.
All the Arabic and graphics could not have been done without the help of my wife, Zafirah.

Saturday, 7 January 2017

The Birthdays of Some of the Prophets & Righteous are Commemorated in the Qur’an

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

There is commemoration of the birthdays of some of the prophets
and righteous servants in the Qur’an Itself.
As a few examples of many, Allah (s.w.t.)
Recounts the events and details the blessings found in and lessons derived from
the births of the following people.

For Yahya (a.s.):

There did Zakariya pray to his Lord saying, “O my Lord! Grant unto me, from Thee, a progeny that is
pure; for Thou art He that Heareth prayer!”
While he was standing in prayer in the chamber, the angels called unto
him, “Allah doth Give thee Glad Tidings of Yahya, witnessing the truth of a
Word from Allah and (be besides) noble, chaste, and a Prophet, ― of the
(goodly) company of the righteous.” He
said, “O my Lord! How shall I have a
son, seeing I am very old, and my wife is barren?” “Thus,” was the answer, “Doth Allah
Accomplish what He Willeth.” He said, “O
my Lord! Give me a Sign!” “Thy Sign,” was the answer, “shall be that
thou shalt speak to no man for three days but with signals. Then celebrate the praises of thy Lord again
and again and glorify Him in the evening and in the morning.” (Surah Ali
‘Imran:38-41)

(This is) a recital of the Mercy of thy Lord to His Servant
Zakariya. Behold! He cried to his Lord in secret, praying, “O
my Lord! Infirm indeed are my bones, and
the hair of my head doth glisten with grey: but never am I unblest, O my Lord,
in my prayer to Thee! Now I fear (what)
my relatives (and colleagues) (will do) after me: but my wife is barren: so,
Give me an heir as from Thyself ― (One that) will (truly) represent me, and
represent the posterity of Jacob; and Make him, O my Lord, one with whom Thou
art Well-Pleased!” (His prayer was
Answered): “O Zakariya! We Give thee
good news of a son: his name shall be Yahya: on none by that name have We
Conferred distinction before.” He said,
“O my Lord! How shall I have a son, when
my wife is barren and I have grown quite decrepit from old age?” He Said, “So (it will be): thy Lord Saith,
‘That is Easy for Me: I did indeed Create thee before, when thou hadst been
nothing!’” (Zakariya) said, “O my
Lord! Give me a Sign.” “Thy Sign”, was the answer, “shall be that
thou shalt speak to no man for three nights, although thou art not dumb.” So Zakariya came out to his people from his
chamber: he told them by signs to celebrate Allah’s praises in the morning and
in the evening. (To his son Came the
Command), “O Yahya! Take hold of the
Book with might”: and We Gave him wisdom even as a youth. And pity (for all creatures) as from Us, and
purity: he was devout. And kind to his
parents, and he was not overbearing or rebellious. So, Peace on him the day he was born, the day
that he dies, and the day that he will be raised up to life (again)! (Surah
Maryam:2-15)

For ‘Isa (a.s.):

Behold! The angels said, “O
Mary! Allah hath Chosen thee and
Purified thee; ― Chosen thee above the women of all nations. O Mary!
Worship thy Lord devoutly; prostrate thyself, and bow down (in prayer)
with those who bow down.” This is part
of the tidings of the things unseen, which We Reveal unto thee (O Prophet!) by
Inspiration; thou wast not with them when they cast lots with arrows, as to
which of them should be charged with the care of Mary; nor wast thou with them
when they disputed (the point).
Behold! The angels said, “O Mary! Allah Giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from
Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this
world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah. He shall speak to the people in childhood and
in maturity and he shall be (of the company) of the righteous.” She said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath
touched me?” He Said, “Even so: Allah
Createth what He Willeth; when He hath Decreed a Plan, He but Saith to it ‘Be’,
and it is! And Allah will Teach him the
Book and Wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel.” (Surah Ali ‘Imran:42-48)

Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary, when she withdrew from her
family to a place in the East. She
placed a screen (to screen herself) from them: then We Sent to her Our angel,
and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. She said, “I seek Refuge from thee to (Allah)
Most Gracious: (come not near) if thou dost fear Allah.” He said, ‘Nay, I am only a messenger from thy
Lord (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son.” She said, “How shall I have a son, seeing
that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?” He said, “So (it will be): thy Lord Saith
‘That is Easy for Me: and (We Wish) to Appoint him as a Sign unto men and a
Mercy from Us’: it is a matter (so) Decreed.”
So, she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the
trunk of a palm-tree: she cried (in her anguish), “Ah! Would that I had died before this! Would that I had been a thing forgotten and
out of sight!” But (a voice) cried to
her from beneath the (palm tree), “Grieve not!
For thy Lord hath Provided a rivulet beneath thee; and shake towards
thyself the trunk of the palm-tree: it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon
thee. So, eat and drink and cool (thine)
eye. And if thou dost see any man say,
‘I have vowed a fast to (Allah) Most Gracious, and this day will I enter into
no talk with any human being.’” At
length, she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said, “O Mary! Truly an amazing thing hast thou
brought! O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy
mother a woman unchaste!” But she
pointed to the babe. They said, “How can
we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?”
He said, “I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath Given me Revelation
and Made me a prophet; and He hath Made me Blessed wheresoever I be, and hath
Enjoined on me prayer and charity as long as I live; (He) hath Made me kind to
my mother, and not overbearing or miserable; so Peace is on me the day I was
born, the day that I die and the day that I shall be Raised up to life
(again)!” Such (was) Jesus the son of
Mary: (it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute. (Surah
Maryam:16-34)

For Maryam
(a.s.):

Allah did Choose Adam and Noah the family of Abraham, and the family
of ‘Imran above all people. Offspring,
one of the other; and Allah Heareth and Knoweth all things. Behold!
A woman of ‘Imran said, “O my Lord!
I do dedicate into Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service so accept
this of me, for Thou Hearest and Knowest all things.” When she was delivered, she said, “O my
Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!” And Allah Knew Best what she brought forth,
“And is not the male like the female. I
have named her Mary and I commend her and her offspring to Thy Protection from
the Evil One, the Rejected.” Right
Graciously did her Lord Accept her: He Made her grow in purity and beauty; to
the care of Zakariya was she assigned.
Every time that he entered (her) chamber to see her, he found her
supplied with sustenance. He said, “O
Mary! Whence (comes) this to you?” She said, “From Allah: for Allah Provides
sustenance to whom He Pleases, without measure.” (Surah Ali ‘Imran:33-37)

In
addition, Allah (s.w.t.) Details how
the Prophet ‘Isa ibn Maryam (a.s.)
celebrated his own birthday when he said, “… and peace be upon me the day I was
born ...” in Surah Maryam:33. Is there
not in all of this evidence for the permissibility of commemorating the
blessing of the birth of our Prophet (s.a.w.),
who is the best of Allah’s (s.w.t.)
Creation?